Soil Mapping Project
Soil Mapping Project

The soil maps contain detailed information on the characteristics of soils in a given territory, so that these can be recognised, safeguarded and promoted.img suoli
The Region of Tuscany has entrusted the soil mapping project to LaMMA, with the aim of achieving pedological coverage of the region on a semi-detailed scale, using information contained in the 1:10,000 geological map and in the project for the 1:250,000 soil map of the Tuscany region LINK.

Based on the Region of Tuscany soil map, LaMMA has begun elaborating a semi-detailed map by geographically homogeneous areas (the 63 Land Systems) with a range of incremental levels of detail.

In addition to the information obtained from the soil map, the different levels were realised using:

  • satellite images and aerial photogrammetry, important for the coverage of land use and for a better understanding of the physical geography of the area;
  • climate data to ascertain the characteristics of the soil in the various environments
  • numerous samples and analyses made on the ground to refine and validate the cartographic information and obtain a second and third level of detail, at a scale of between 1:50,000 and 1:25,000.

Contents are organised into:
Map of soils in Tuscany

  • Level 1 soil map: detail of the soil map, based on the geometry of the new 1:10,000 regional geological map
  • Level 2: a greater level of detail, achieved by defining landscape units and carrying out numerous samplings and analyses in the Arno and Ombrone river basins, completion of the entire region of Tuscany will take place by the end of 2012 .
  • Level 3: additional detail produced on the pilot areas of the Albegna river basin and the Frigido river basin.

Pedological information in general can be useful in all those fields where the soil component plays an important role; for example, in agriculture it is very useful in assessing land suitability or water availability for different crops. Other sectors of application include: erosion, soil pollution, suitability for specific crops, aquifer vulnerability, etc.